Author's Notes:
-Yes! Finally, it's done! Oh boy... I had to rebuild the structure of this chapter several times. In case you haven't guessed by the chapter title, this chapter begins to explain the origin story of our most dearly hated antagonist; Cinder Fall! Originally, it was going to show Cinder's backstory in three parts with two interludes, but I realized the chapter was getting too long. So I did some shuffling around, and it was still too long, so I had to split her backstory into two parts in two different chapters. Not to mention that we have other characters who need screen time.
(Cinder throws a fireball) Hey! No throwing fireballs at the author! (she throws another one, I teleport away)
I did not cast this spell through time and space to fix the RWBY universe just to have fireballs thrown in my face. (In related real life news; School's been difficult, but I'm still alive! Hope you enjoyed the Omake.)
-Anyway, jokes and rambling aside, let's get moving. Before Cinder gets impatient again...
From her bed, Yang looked at the cold winter snow from the outside of her window. Even though she stood inside her house, she felt cold, both in the physical sense and being emotionally numb.
"There's nothing left... Nothing."
Just as there is no end to this winter here, there is no end to my sorrow. She looked back at her window, thinking she saw a bird, but when she stood up to get a closer look, there wasn't anything there.
She looked at the snow on the ground.
How easy would it be to just stand out there and let the cold claim me? She sighed. It would take too long. But... would death give me any real rest? Maybe I shouldn't...
She looked at her stump where her right arm should have been.
I know the prosthetic arm is on its way since that huntress, what was her name? She blanked for a moment before remembering... Emily Khloris, was here and took my measurements for it. But am I even worthy of such compensation for the loss of my arm? I was reckless, careless, and gosh, so stupid!
She recalled her putting the box with the pieces of Ember Celica away.
If I'm not worthy of Ember Celica, then I'm certainly not worthy of the arm I will receive. The arm is made with technology a lot more complex than any weapon I've ever wielded.
She looked at her scroll for the time. I wish I could call Ruby and ask if she's okay. I wish I could contact the rest of my friends... And...
Suddenly an image of Blake came to mind. An anger began to fester in her heart.
She abandoned me. The former brawler tucked her left arm in, as though trying to fold her arms, but without success. She groaned. Why should I care about her? She left me without explanation or warning. She broke her promise!
A new thought came to her that chilled her spine. Is she even alive?
Horrific imaginations ran wild. She pictured Blake, in her attire at Beacon, falling off a cliff, being forced to walk backyards off a plank into shark-infested waters, and being stabbed by Adam Taurus.
Just as the scorpion man is after Ruby, Blake is charging into danger. All alone, with no help. She'll be killed if she isn't already.
Meanwhile, Athena was shown in her meeting room, which was a large room baring resemblance to a reception hall. The floor was mostly black carpet, save for a wooden area in the middle of the room, which likely would have served as a dance floor by other people. But not by Athena. No, there was only one table- a long rectangular table with a red dining cloth. Along each side of the table were three dining room chairs. At the left end was a long circle shaped throne made with purple velvet cloth and armrests. The throne also had a golden trim to it, and on that throne was Athena. At the right end was a rectangular shaped red throne with black armrests, where Ares sat.
"I must say, the recruiting has been going very well." Ares began. "But when we going to move to the next phase of your plan?"
"Patience Ares. We still need to Aoi to get those files on the location of..." A knock on the door was heard, interrupting Athena. "Come in."
Marrok and Daphne entered the room. Athena smiled as Ares appeared to be slightly annoyed.
"I have returned with one of Adam's entourage members. Or should I say, a former member." Marrok turned to the messenger. "Allow me to introduce you to our great leaders; Ares Adamos and Athena Bruna."
The latter looked at the messenger, noting the owl-feathered mask on her face, before turning to Marrok. "So you got the messenger to join us. Nicely done, Marrok." Athena turned to face her newest recruit. "What is your name?"
"Daphne, ma'm."
"Ah, Daphne. A lovely name for a girl such as yourself. If I might ask, what's your faunus trait?"
She extended her hands, and revealed retractable claws. "Cat claws."
Hmm... If she knew how to use them correctly, she could be a very good fighter. Athena thought.
The wise woman then noticed how she retracted her claws back as soon as she was done showing them. "I'm guessing you don't show those very often, do you?" Daphne nodded, confirming Athena's guess. "I can't say that I blame you. Now answer me this- what do you know about Adam's plans?"
"Not very much. He just said that he's been looking for Mistral's White Fang leader to get his own plan off the ground. When he learned that you had taken her place, he said to himself that this change of circumstances could make things easier, or make them harder."
"Keeping his cards close to his chest. Smart move."
The 'war god' groaned. "I don't like his presence here. We should take them all out now before they get the chance."
"Calm down Ares. Adam has a reason for being here. We just need to figure out what it is.
"But if Daphne doesn't know what Adam's true plans are, do any of them?" He folded his arms. "Also she may have joined us, but no doubt that he and his other party members won't be easily swayed. And they're doing to be worried when Daphne doesn't return and/or get angry for supposedly 'taking' their friend."
"Excellent points there, but I can assure you that I will find out Adam's plan one way or another, even if it means having to find him myself." She turned to Marrok. "In the meantime, I need you to take our newest recruit and start her martial and aura training immediately."
"Right away, my lady." Marrok turned back to the new Revolutionist. "Alright, little girl, how much do you know when it comes to using weapons, martial arts and aura?"
Daphne raised an eyebrow. "What's an aura?"
Marrok sighed. "Oh dear. This is going to be harder than I thought. I suppose we best get started then. Come along."
The sheep-eared faunus left the room with Daphne in tow.
Cinder Fall was shown in her room, reading the book she had retrieved from the library. She was reading the eighth chapter of Slave to the Sword.
"You have improved quite well, Miss Yamada." Sensei Yomoto told her.
Kagami smiled, not even bothered with her fake surname anymore. "Thanks Sensei."
"If you don't mind, there is something I would like to ask you."
The young kunoichi felt her heart jolt, and she took in a light breath to hide her fear. "What might that be?"
"How did you end up separated from your half-sister Akiko?"
'Oh crap!' she cursed mentally. 'I should have known somebody would ask me that.'
"It's... it's a very long story. One that I don't remember all the details. It happened so long ago..."
The Fall Maiden turned the page, noting it to be shorter than usual. She briefly smiled, knowing her new daily chore was almost over.
Asahi nodded in understanding. "I see. You don't have to say anything."
"Thanks for your understanding, Yomoto-sama. Is there any other advice you have to offer me tonight?"
"I don't believe so. Train hard, stick to your studies and you will be on your way to graduating in no time."
"Thank you. Oyasumi."
Kagami left the room before he had the chance to say anything to her. Asahi was left to his thoughts.
'She seems to be reluctant to say anything about her past. And so is her half-sister Akiko. But while Akiko angrily refuses to say anything, Kagami is too shy or nervous to speak. But why?'
She looked over the title for the chapter she would read tomorrow.
Ch. 9- Sakura's Lament
She set the book down on her nightstand and got up from her bed. The mute fall maiden put more water into her humidifier, screwed the top back on, and put the pitcher back in the second sink in her bathroom. She walked back into her room and looked at herself in the mirror.
How did it ever come to this? Once the most beautiful woman in the room, now a wretched sight to behold. Ruby may be to blame for the damage, but she wasn't the one who hurt me the first time.
As she looked at herself in the mirror, she imagined a young girl, about six years old, with a sad, sunken look in her amber eyes. Her ashen black hair worn entirely loose and in the back, not covering her eyes. She wore a knee-length red dress with long sleeves with a red lace design around the hem of her skirt. The dress was paired with black, open-skinned shoes and a small anklet made from blue thread and a few small faux pearl beads.
Cinder looked at her past self and a whiteout enveloped the screen...
To show a six year old Cinder in a small room with white stone tile and white wall with the paint fading. The bed had a wooden frame that looked charred but the bed itself was undamaged. The bedspread consisted of white sheets with a black comforter and white pillows without pillow-sheets.
Nearby the bed was a small nightstand with a lamp, a small notebook and a pen attached to it.
The young girl looked outside her bedroom window. It was nighttime, and light snowfall was seen outside her window. She turned on the lamp and opened the drawer of her nightstand. She pulled out a piece of paper with a few lines spaced out.
It read;
Cinder Ella Delaney
Born to Bianca Delaney and Unknown on September 13th, 57 AGW
In Atlas Medical Facility Alpha, Atlas City, Atlas
Below were the signatures of the doctors who helped to deliver her.
Erika Green
Zurine Marigold
The young orphan girl put her birth certificate away, sighed and turned to the window. The shattered moon, half-full, poured moonlight into her room. She's not coming back... She never will. She gave you up... She sniffed. Why? Why did mommy abandon me? Was I not good enough for her?
Cinder looked through the window every night, silently asking herself these questions.
I'm lying to myself. I've asked Mrs. Thyme for answers about why my mom Bianca left me here, but yet she hasn't said anything. But if she isn't telling me anything about my mother, then why did she allow me to keep my own birth certificate and other important documents? She sighed. I've been here at the Crystal Tree Orphanage in Mantle forever. I'm never going to get answers here...
She crawled into her bed and threw a white sheet over herself.
No one's ever going to adopt me anyway.
The next day, she was shown in the cafeteria, hardly eating her meal of turkey, corn and mashed potatoes. She was sitting alone- none of the other orphaned kids even bothered to sit next to her. To most of them she was just another brick in the wall. She was invisible to them.
A woman with blonde hair and green brownish eyes in a formal business attire approached her. "Miss Delaney?"
Cinder looked up from her tray. "Yes, Mrs. Thyme?"
"I hate to interrupt your lunch, but you have a visitor."
"Really?"
Hearing this, she instantly brightened up, ate her lunch and met with Mrs. Thyme about ten minutes later. When she entered the room, she saw a tall woman sitting in the guest chair. The woman had pale skin, blue eyes and black hair with blueish tints, styled into an elegant top bun. She wore a slate blue mermaid-styled dress with dark blue heels. For accessories, she wore a necklace of genuine sapphires, a golden bracelet with amethysts in golden open sockets on her right wrist and pearl earrings.
Mrs. Thyme introduced the woman to her. "Cinder, I'd like you to meet Davina Lavalle. She's going to adopt you."
The orphan girl blinked twice, trying to comprehend what had just been said to her. "Really?" Mrs. Thyme nodded. "No way!"
"Yes way." Mrs. Thyme confirmed. "Why don't you go pack your things?"
Cinder stated, "Right away, Mrs. Thyme!"
The young girl ran to her room, grabbed her suitcase and got out a small suitcase from under her bed. She immediately grabbed her precious items- a red teddy bear, a pink little doll with black threads for hair, her birth certificate and other important documents, a faux pearl necklace, and a small blue feather. Then she got to work on packing her clothing- which consisted of six other dresses and a other pair of black slip on shoes.
The scene transitioned to her and Davina leaving the orphanage, with Mrs. Thyme waving Cinder goodbye.
"Goodbye Cinder. I wish you nothing but the best!"
And so, Cinder and her new guardian made their way forward to the nearest airship and ascended up to the city in the sky. Cinder looked out the window, pressing her face and hands to the glass in wonder.
"Is this... Atlas?"
"Why yes it is." Davina answered.
"I've heard so much about it, but I've never seen it before. It looks so beautiful. It's incredible!"
Cinder giggled as Davina smirked to herself. The airship ascended higher and eventually, they were shown landing.
The ladies got off the ship and were shown walking through the streets of Atlas. They got into a stationary purple horse-drawn carriage and the lady said some words to the coachman.
"Is he taking us to our new home?" Cinder asked her.
"To your new home," Davina corrected. "yes."
"Oh yay!"
The scene transitioned to the carriage arriving at a lovely chateau at the top of the hill. The coachman opened the doors and Cinder looked upon the place in wonder. It was a three story manor with white walls and a small entrance up to the front door with little steps and a small triangle marble bust over the door held up by marble columns. On each side of the door was a rose bush plant.
The coachman opened the door and gestured for the ladies to enter the house. Cinder entered the house and saw the inside. The very front of the house was polished with a shiny floor of blue glass. The walls were bright purple with small lavender and royal purple linings and violet flower designs as wallpaper. To the left of it was a grand white staircase with a black metal railing.
"Come along now, Cinder."
They walked across the glass floor to the kitchen. The kitchen had black tile, a wooden table in the middle of it, two ovens, a microwave, a stove top, a separate refrigerator and freezer, and a large panty with several doors and cabinets. Inside the room were two young ladies about seven feet apart from each other.
"Cinder, I'd like to introduce you to my daughters-" Davina gestured her hand to her right. "Celosia..." And then to her left. "and Lobeila."
The orphan girl looked at the two young girls in front of her. They were both older than her.
Celosia Lavalle appeared to be the older of two, about ten years old. She was a young lady with fair skin, green eyes and blond hair. Her hair was styled into a long braid that was only ten inches from her waist. She wore a bright pink empire line dress with light pink ballet shoes. She wore genuine golden hoop earrings.
Lobeila Lavalle was the younger of two and appeared to be about eight years old. While not a splitting image of her mother, she shared many of the same physical traits that she did; pale skin, black hair and slate blue eyes. She wore a royal purple modest maxi dress, black ballet flats and like her mother, wore pearl earrings.
"Hello." Cinder greeted.
Lobeila remained neutral, unsure what to make of her.
Celosia however, just sneered at her. "So, where did you find this little beggar?"
"At the Crystal Tree Orphanage." Davina answered. "She's been there her whole life. Up until now."
Cinder looked around, then back at the girls. "Where's your father? Or do you not have one?"
"He died in an unfortunate... accident." Davina responded. "But that was long ago." She turned to her daughters. "Celosia, Lobeila, you may go. Be ready for your music lesson in an hour." At this, Davina's daughters took their leave. Cinder followed them briefly. "Not you, Cinder." Upon hearing the words, she stopped and turned to face her adoptive mother. "I have a gift for you."
Cinder gasped in awe. "A gift? What is it?"
"First, let me show you to your room. It is waiting for you there."
They left her room and went to a wooden door that was charred. She opened the door, revealing a case of stairs going down with black metal railings on both sides.
Davina noticed Cinder's reluctance to go down the stairs. "Is something wrong, my child?"
"It looks dark down there..."
"Oh don't worry. You needn't be afraid of the dark, Cinder."
Cinder went down the stairs, the wood creaking loudly as she descended. The way down consisted of five flights of stairs. When they finally reached the bottom, she found a small room with stone walls, lit up by artificial torches that could be switched on and off with a button. In the upper right corner was a small bed with a single pillow and sheet. On the upper left was a small desk with an unlit oil lamp and a box with the flaps opened up. To the right side of the room was a door that lead to a small bathroom and to the left, there was nothing but a pocket of empty space.
"This will be your room where you shall stay."
"Oh... it's... different."
"Different does not mean bad, child. Now, for your present." She gestured to the box on the table. "Look in the box, and put on whatever is inside it."
Cinder went up to the box and looked in disappointment as she got out what appeared to be a ragged old red dress with brown and blueish-grey patches on it and a black apron with holes in it.
"Do I have to wear this?" Cinder asked in disappointment.
"Just do it!" Davina pointed to the empty pocket area. "Go change in there!"
She turned around, letting the girl have her privacy as she changed into what would become her servant clothes.
The camera focused on Davina's backside before Cinder said, "I'm done!" Davina turned around to find the young girl wearing her servant clothes. She stood there nervously, shifting from standing on one foot to another. "Well... How do I look?"
Davina smiled. "You look like you belong here."
And so, Cinder was forced into a life of servitude. The money that Davina had was spent on herself and her daughters. Cinder barely had anything. And within the first week at the Lavalle Chateau, Davina got rid of her previous dresses, shoes and even her fake jewelry. She had also seized her documents, claiming she wouldn't need them anymore. The only things she was allowed to keep were her teddy bear, the pink doll and the blue feather.
Six-year old Cinder was shown crying, clutching her bear and her doll, with the blue feather in her hair.
The scene transitioned to a seven year old Cinder, still wearing her ragged maid dress, in the kitchen, washing the dishes from that morning's breakfast by hand in the sink. The feather was safely tucked away into the only pocket of her dress.
"Oh, this doesn't make sense. Why don't we have a dishwasher like the orphanage had?" She took the plate out of the sink and set it aside in the dish drainer to dry. "At least the dishes are finally done."
A bell on the wall was heard ringing.
"Cinderella!" a voice was heard shouting. "Bring me some rose hip tea and some crumpets!"
"Right away, Celosia." Cinder responded.
She filled a pot with water and added some rose hips to it and started to make up some crumpets.
About five minutes later, when she put the crumpets in the oven to bake, she heard another bell on the wall ringing.
"Cinderella, where is my laundry?!" Lobeila asked.
"In a minute," Cinder responded.
The first bell from earlier was heard ringing. "Hurry up with those crumpets!"
"Coming, Celosia."
A montage of Cinder, now ten years old, was shown doing various chores. Her hair was now held up in a ponytail with a red ribbon. She was shown washing the floor, doing the dishes, washing the windows (both the inside and the outside), sweeping the floors, mending some rips in a purple dress, dusting the tapestries, and tending the fireplace. It also showed her red teddy bear being thrown into the fireplace as a punishment.
The montage ended with her trying to cook dinner, with a pot of soup boiling over, and smoke coming from the oven. Most of the soup had spilled onto the stove top or was slowly dripping the ground, creating a puddle.
"Oh no... No, no, no, no, no..."
She quickly grabbed some thin potholders and moved the pot from the little gas flame, only to get a small burn on her hands.
"Ow!" She recoiled in pain and threw her hands into the sink under cold running water, trying to treat her injury. "Dang it... Damn it!"
Without warning, Davina entered the room to find the kitchen in a disaster. "Cinder, what happened?! And turn that water off, are you trying to flood the place?!"
Cinder nervously started to explain herself. "Well, you see..."
"You had one job! One job! And you failed it!"
"That's not true! I had...!"
"SILENCE!"
Cinder flinched in fear. Davina sighed as she grabbed the fire extinguisher, turned off the oven, opened the door and doused the flames with the it. "Alright, you incompetent worm, I put out the fire, but as punishment for failing to cook dinner, you aren't getting any food tonight. As for you, stay here and clean up the rest of this mess. Me and my daughters will be going out tonight as a result of your incompetence."
Davina left Cinder there to clean up the mess. By the time was done, she was starving. She looked at the remaining soup in the pot.
I know Mother Lavalle told me not to eat for my failure, but I'm so hungry... And well, she'll never know if I have the remains of what was their original plan for dinner.
She grabbed a spoon and began eating directly out of the pot. A few moments later, a door was heard opening and Davina walked into the room as Cinder was finishing chewing a spoonful of soup.
"Cinder!" Davina scolded. "What did I tell you?!"
After finishing chewing, she turned to face her mistress. "You.. you told me to clean the mess."
Davina nodded. "Yes, but what else did I say?"
"That you and your daughters were going out to eat because of my incompetence?" Cinder asked.
She folded her arms. "I said no dinner. And what do you do? You defy my orders! You will be punished for your disobedience!"
Davina grabbed her by the arm and dragged her along to a marble column in the front room of the house. Celosia and Lobeila who were wearing a baby blue and sea green dress without jewelry for their outing, where standing by, watching as Cinder had her hands tied above her head.
"Celosia, retrieve the whip."
Celosia left to retrieve the whip as Lobeila watched with an anxious look on her face. The elder daughter returned with the whip and give it to her wicked mother. She held the whip in her hands and then cracked it to test it.
"Watch closely, girls." Davina instructed. "This is how to put a servant girl in her place!"
Cinder plead, "No! Please, don't!"
But Davina payed no heed to her words. She was flogged ten times with a whip, and each scream was louder and more anguished than the last. Celosia watched with a smirk, as Lobeila watched on nervously.
And as the years went on, Cinder grew up in fear, in sorrow, and was so very alone.